Two mourners killed in Orakzai rocket attack

ORAKZAI AGENCY - At least two mourners were killed and 28 others sustained injuries when three rockets fired by militants from mountains landed at 10th of Muharram mourning procession in Lower Orakzai Agency.

According to details, militants fired at least three rockets from the top of the nearby mountains of Sherin Darra, which landed one-by-one at a mourning procession at the time when it was passing through Merazai, after moving from Merazai Imambargah.

The mourners were on their way to Kalaya locality from the Imambargah. Amid tight security arrangements; however when they reached Merzai area, three rockets fired by militants from Sherin Darra mountains landed at the procession.

According to official sources in the political administration of the agency said that as many as two persons identified as Mir Ahmad Khan s/o Hussian Khan, resident of Maani Khel and Ghulam Akbar s/o Arzan Ali of Maani Khel Darra village died on the spot.

The injured were rushed to tehsil headquarters hospital Kalaya where they were stated to be stable.

Soon after the rocket attack, security forces targeted militant hideout where from they fired the rockets. Besides, the forces also launched a search operation in the area and apprehended at least 13 suspected persons, who were shifted to unknown location for further interrogation.

The mourning processions in other parts of the agency like Ibrahimzai, Kariza, Sama, Ghundai Kalli culminated peacefully as extraordinary security measures were taken to avoid any untoward incident in Orakzai Agency.